War of the Wyvern: The Ninth Crystal: Part 2
by Alustriel Silverhand
Summary: Sequel to Thy Brother's Keeper. Darkness in a room? Turn on a light. Darkness in your soul? That's a quandary and one that Cecil realizes is still lingering...
1. Scene 4

Like the blast of the Lunar's cold air, Cecil felt trepidation settle onto his heart. What brought it on specifically he couldn't fathom, as he followed his father through the Lunar paths and onto the starship. It startled the Baronian king when Klu-Ya activated the crystal with a mere wave of his age-bespeckled hand, setting the light within flaring. With a great groan the ship lifted in the air, taking a general south-eastern direction. Cecil struggled to take it all in and as he was doing war with the choas slugging at him, his father dropped another of what could Cid's bombs on him.

"Are you ready to see him again?"

Cecil jerked. "See...who?"

"Theodore."

It took a full minute for the paladin to latch onto whom the lunarian referred to. Then an image of his brother interposed on that of the evil warlord Golbez flashed in his mind's eyes, like it did on that fateful last meeting after the downfall of Zemus. He swallowed. It had been a relief to Cecil to lock those feelings away after the man had disappeared with his uncle. It had been easy, knowing, thinking that he would never have to face that man again. Here, now, he would have to fetch the key and properly deal with the emotional implications, while working to keep Baron from being destoried, or worse, the entire Blue Planet.

Cecil took up a stance next to his father as the starship flew on, cutting through the skies. "How is...." The paladin cut off what he was about to say and just asked, "Where is he?"

Not waiting for the ship to land properly Klu-Ya hurried off, gesturing urgently at his son to follow. "To try to teach him the ways of pascisfism and peace, the Lunarians left him with the moogles, so that he might take after them. I sent him out not long ago to find you and free you from the wyvens so that he might return you to me. I instructed him to return here, and await my further orders." Not waiting for Cecil to catch up or to offer him a more detailed explaination, the Lunarian rushed into the caverns.

Fingers itching for a sword, Cecil followed.

Inside, he immediately realized his fears were manifest in the bodies that were scattered about the stalagmites. At first, he'd thought it was a bunch of calabrinas tossed about haphazardly, but covering his mouth in horror Cecil recognized the broken bodies of the moogles, the "Hummingways". He dropped to a knee beside one and clutched the lifeless shell to his own body. The paladin knew little of the creatures, just that they were moon-inhabitants and had a penchant for singing, but still the sight set his heart to stinging.

Releasing the body, the paladin stood up suddenly, gaze cast all around. More horror awaited him. Before him stood Klu-Ya, back to the paladin. Then in a painfully slow motion the Lunarian slumped to the crystalline floor, his body pierced by a blade. And to add to that shock, Cecil glismped the visage of the one who held the sword that had wounded and perhaps slain his father.

Golbez.

_...Bring me the crystal._

"No, Golbez....what are you doing?!" Throwing the man a glare that could melt mithril, Cecil hurried to his father's side. The man had not perished, not yet. A swiftly spoken healing spell could certainly save him. Cecil lowered his hands onto the man's chest, whispered the words that would draw out the powers in him. But as the energy flowed out of his hands, the hilt of a sword smacked into his chest. The paladin was hurled to the far side of the cavern and up against the wall. With a groan he slumped to the floor.

Through blurry, bloodied eyes, Cecil watched as his brother lifted his sword and prepared to pierce their father again. The paladin yelled out, pleading with Golbez, but the man heard not a word, or seemed as such for his blade deterred not an inch on its deadly path. Ignoring the exploding pain in his back, Cecil hurled himself at his brother. The two fell in a heap, tangled in armor and limbs. Cecil sought to disarm Golbez but the man let out a gout of fire, and the paladin fell away screaming from the flames trying to consume his face.

"Golbez, why?!"

"For the Master!"

_...the Master..._

"For the Crystal!"

_...Bring me the crystal...._

"Cecil!" Klu-Ya's voice, surprisingly strong, despite life fluid pouring out of his wound. "My son, you must stop Golbez!"

With a hand to his own face, Cecil stilled the fire before it could do permanent damage. He glanced around the cavern desperately, looking for anything to use as a weapon. What was he going to do to incapacitate his brother--throw the body of a moogle at him? Slightly morbid, slightly amusing, but not likely to have any lasting affect. The paladin could try to wrest the blade from Golbez again but would he have any better luck now...as he dodged black-blue bolts of bright lightning and ducked underneath spheres of burning flame?

What a shame that paladins never came equipped with offensive magic...

It was time for some creative arcane action. Cecil muttered a few words swiftly and cast out his arms. A bright illumination burst from them, engulfing the cavern. Golbez instinctly stumbled back, cursing. The paladin siezed the opportunity as he siezed his father, rushing out of the cavern. Cecil didn't look back, not wanting to know if his brother followed, not sure how much of a magical reserve his brother retained.

Fireballs slammed into the ground all around him. A chunk of ice clipped his shoulder. Bolts of lightning crashed into the lunar whale. If he could just reach the starship and get it in the air, Cecil could send it soaring to the Blue Planet. There he could speak with his father further to find out what had come over his brother and what to do about it.

Then a wall of flames spread up right in front of the ramp.

Sighing, Cecil lay his father down and slowly turned around.

"You will not pass," Golbez said, his voice as cold as the moon-air. "If you wish to save your father you will do as the Master demands."

"Our father. Ours! He's your father too. And you're my brother. Please don't do this."

"Yield or die!"

Like being possessed the paladin-king flew into action, grabbing at Golbez's sword. The movement was so bold that his brother couldn't dodge fast enough and the two were locked into a tug-of-war on the sword. Golbez's strength was unimaginable and Cecil bit his lip straining to keep his hands on the hilt. A sharp kick to his mid-section forced the paladin to his knees so his brother took advantage of the minor victory to deliver the killing blow.

And brother did kill brother but t'was not Cecil that met his fate.

The paladin faked taking the kick and spun to his side while the blade came down. Not thinking he twisted his hands around the hilt and ripped it free. With a wild cry the Baronian king drove the blade through his brother's gut.

"...what have I done?" Cecil gasped, releasing the sword as it drifted to the moon-stones like his brother's body. His otherworldly eyes stained tears as his pristine gloves stained blood.

"Ce-ci-l!"

The paladin gazed at his father who seemed in astonishingly good health all things considered. He was standing on the ramp, leaning heavily on his staff. Cecil barely saw him, his vision drowned in the sight of his brother's glazed eyes. "Cecil! We must go! It is not safe here. And your friends and family need you."

"Friends...and family?" His voice was lost.

"Yes, come, now!"

He walked over to the ramp. Walked up the ramp. Into the starship. Watched as the vessel took to space. Watched as it spun away. But to Cecil he was still chained to the Moon, standing over the body of the brother he'd just slain.


	2. Scene 5

Scene 5

The sight Cecil saw upon the approach to Baron was as a dagger slidding between his ribs and into his heart.

The city was in flames, smoke climbing into the sky like pillars of black spirits. Wyverns circled the Red Wings, the former vastly outnumbering the latter, crimson stones among an afternoon sky of gray and blue. The Lunar Whale's prow cut through the clouds, hurling towards the city at a pace that was definitely unsafe yet not nearly as quickly enough to sate the young knight's fears.

How did his family and friends fare? Had the crystal fallen into evil hands?

Landing in the courtyard, the paladin took his father by the arm and lead him down the ramp. A wyvern swooped down and spewed a cone of fire at them. Without thinking Cecil threw up his cape, the magical fabric repelling the attack, leaving only a spark on his hair to blow away. After the cape was lowered, Klu-Ya lifted his staff and a bolt of pure white lightning struck the wyvern, sending it plummeting to its death a few feet away.

"We must protect the crystal at all costs!" Klu-Ya shouted, his blue eyes alight.

Cecil nodded and took to his heels towards the castle doors, flinging them open the moment his hands reached the cold stone. His father was not far behind. The castle quaked as another blast rocked it to its foundation and a chandlier plunged to its glassy ruin on the floor. Bookshelves burst apart. Everywhere the wreckage made the pair's trek towards the crystal room a perlious one.

As they entered the throne room joy washed over Cecil as he saw Rosa rise from the floor. She was bloodied and dirty, her white robe torn probably for make-shift bandages. She was visibly shaken. But her face lit up smiling and she enveloped him in a crushing hug.

"I thought...I thought..." she kept repeating, never finishing her sentence.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," he kept repeating, stroking her hair. Then they broke apart and the paladin gestured to his father standing in the doorway. "Rosa, this is Klu-Ya, my father."

His bone-white staff leading the way, his father stood before them. "I wish our introductions could be more pleasant, but our time is short. We must secure the crystal."

Cecil turned to his wife. "Rosa, take the wounded to the Infirmary. Once I'm sure the crystal is safe I'll-"

"It's you!"

"You're here, how?"

Twisting, the paladin saw his father and Kain staring at one another like the other was the reincarnation of Zemus. Klu-Ya's staff was aloft, in a pre-spell glow while the dragoon held his spear poised for the older man's heart. Gasping, Cecil rushed to place his body between the two, his eyes aghast. What could possess two of the most important people in his life to prepare to go to war as surely as the battle occuring outside their walls?

Possess...

_Bring me the crystal._

No...

The paladin put aside the chill that voice spidered through his body as he tried to put aside the hostility between his father and his friend. "What's the matter with you two? Kain, this is my father. Klu-Ya, this is Kain, I've known him since I was a child. Put down your weapons and let's go to the crystal together!"

"I'm sure he'd love that," Kain said dryly, his spear not lowering an inch.

"So speaks the traitor," his father retorted. "Cecil, you must not trust this man."

A snort from the dragoon, he added, "Funny, I was just about the say the same thing about you."

"What's going on?" Rosa was by Cecil's side, encircling an arm around his. Her presence sent a surge of strength through his body.

Anmosity stirred with a palpable touch in the room as the dragoon and the lunarian glared at one another. Klu-Ya spoke again, his voice dripping with venom. "This man carries the taint of the Wellspring of Darkness, the soul of Zemus." His eyes flashed over to Cecil. "He must be destroyed, Cecil!"

In his mind's eyes materialized the sight of piercing his brother with his blade, killing him. That cold shiver was a river before, now it was an ocean threatening to drag him under. While the others staggered as the castle took another blow, the paladin didn't so much as blink, drowned by his own sorrow and indecision.

Seeming to see those very emotions on Cecil's face, Kain choked out, "You can't believe this, Cecil! Look at that man...he is not your father! He is the living embodiment of Zemus! Was it not strange that he suddenly appears now, seeking the crystal?"

Rosa squeezed his arm, reassuring him. Kain was right that this was a bizzare series of events, and the dragoon had proved his loyalty in the recent past...but this was his father, the one who gifted him with the light, slaying Zermus himself a long time ago.

As if exposed to the light of a sand pearl the knight realized a quick resolution to his dilemma.

Walking over to the crest that hung above his throne, Cecil removed both Ragnarok and Excalibur. Ragnarok gleamed like a mini-sun while the Excalibur's own light was that of molten stars. Both were blades of holiness, and any man who tread the path of darkness could not lay on hand on them, let alone wield them.

So he told them, adding, "Each of you will hold a sword and this will tell me who is tainted and who is not." Swallowing, Cecil kept his stance steady as he held the swords before them, hilt first. What if Kain couldn't bear the blade? What if it was his father that couldn't? The best scenario was that both of them were paranoid, and neither had any difficulty.

But what if neither of them could touch the blades?

"Bring it on!" Kain tossed down his spear, gripping Excalibur without flinching. A self-satisfied smirk crossed his lips as his fist tightened to make a point.

Then the dragoon was in the air...after taking a lightning bolt to the dead center of his chest. He flew backwards and crashed into the wall.

"Kain!" screamed Rosa. She rushed to his side, words of a healing spell spilling from her lips.

Shocked, Cecil turned around to see Klu-Ya vanish through the door at the back of the throne room, the door that lead to the stairs down to the crystal room. Ragnarok lay on the ground, smoking as if it savored the flesh of darkness. His head spinning the paladin fell to his knees next to his friend, tears burning in his eyes.

"Is he...?" the paladin could barely utter the words.

Kain sat up, groaning. "I'll be alright, you fool. He's gone after the crystal. We got to beat him to-" With a loud gag, the dragoon slunk back down.

"You're in no position to go anywhere, Kain!" the white wizardess admonished. "I need to heal you or your wounds could kill you."

"No time! We need to get to the crystal!"

Feeling a weightlessness that he had not before, the paladin stood. "I will safeguard the crystal." With the same lack of effort Cecil lifted Excalibur, leaving Ragnarok smoldering on the carpet.

"Are you mad?" snarled Kain. "He's too powerful to take on alone."

Cecil's eyes trailed to Rosa just as the blonde woman turned her head to look up at him. Fear danced in her eyes, fear for him, for what was he was about to do. She knew who he was-he would give his life to defend the crystal, to defend the castle, Baron, her, their child. Somedays Cecil could see her almost wish that he wouldn't be a hero. Just be hers, just be safe.

"Be careful," she whispered.

Bringing his unoccupied hand to his lips as if to either extend a kiss or to receive one, the paladin spun around, down to the deep depths of Baron's bowels.

To the crystal room.


	3. Scene 6

Scene 6

The sounds of his boots on the stone steps felt so very loud to his ears, as loud as the heart beating in his chest. He could not cease even to catch so much as a breath, driven by the need to protect something so powerful, so sacred that even if evil were to hold it for a moment all the land may be enslaved in darkness. Truthfully Cecil did not know how much would befall them should his father capture the Ninth Crystal, but nothing good ever came out of evil men with power.

Evil men with power...his father...an evil man?

He simply could not believe it.

But Cecil had to, standing in the doorway watching agape, as his father plucked the crystal from the pedastal. He rushed Klu-Ya, attempting to take the crystal back by force. But the older man saw him coming, raising a staff to send a bolt of lightning at Cecil not unlike the one he'd thrown at Kain. It had been designed to kill the dragoon but mercy was that Rosa was there.

This one was meant to kill too.

The edge of Cecil's cape took the brunt of the blast, forcing the paladin to discard it. The king and his father circled, eyes ablaze, one with hatred, one with hurt. The blade felt heavy in Cecil's hand as the heart felt in his chest. As another bolt snaked its way to him, the paladin barely dodged this one too. He couldn't hope to keep on dodging, for eventually his strength would give way and then...

...and then Zemus would have the crystal.

_Bring me the crystal._

Who was this voice speaking to exactly?

"Father I do not know what malady has befallen you, but please give me the crystal." Cecil's arms extended imploring.

A malicious smile creeped across his father's face, the likes of which the paladin had not thought possible. "Thank you for your help in acquiring the crystal, Cecil. The Master will be most pleased."

"The Master..." Cecil choked. "That's Zemus, isn't it?"

"He commands and we must obey." His staff lifted in the air again, glittering with power. In constrast the crystal dimmed in his other hand. "This is the end for you, Cecil. Fight if you wish, but in doing so know that you will only die."

"I will not fight you!" the paladin cried, throwing down his sword. "You are my father. My flesh and blood. I have enough of the blood of kin on my hands!"

If Cecil had thought his impassioned plea would deter the Lunarian he realized he'd erred as an enormous fireball struck him almost full to the face. Screaming the knight fell. The pain was as the gates of hell opened and poured forth the full heat of its fury upon him. The flames licked along his skin even after he'd dispelled most of it. Had he not been wearing armor he'd been dead.

And that still might be soon enough.

At this point the sword was out of his reach so the paladin took to evading the magical attacks while trying to recover from the searing pain. Kain was right. He was outmatched by Klu-Ya. Quickly uttering a healing spell, Cecil then had to dodge another fireball. He staggered to a knee, letting out a low cry from the pain. The stretch to Excalibur was so very far and in the king's weakened condition likely another magical spell would tear him apart before he so much as laid a finger on it.

Indeed Cecil could hear his father uttering another spell. Another inch, just another inch and he'd reclaim it. Dragging his maimed body along the crystalline floor, the paladin could only pray that he could reach the sword before the blast reached him. So it was in shock Cecil felt his hand on the sword and he not the worse for it. Hearing a moan the Baronian king looked up.

"My son, what have I done?"

His father stood before him and for a moment it really was his father, face in complete wonderment as he gazed down at his son. How this came to be Cecil could not fathom until the paladin glanced at the crystal. It gleamed a light so pure as to banish the very shadows at a hundred paces.

Was the crystal fighting back against Zemus? They are sentinent...

Klu-Ya dropped to a knee next to the paladin, staff and the crystal clattering to the floor, the latter seeming to sizzle. "My son, we do not have much time. Zemus is with us..." His face twisted, as if in pain. "I need you to kill him."

"How father?" Cecil struggled to a knee. The pain was making his head swim. "With the crystal?"

"You must...kill me."

Again that image of Goblez...Theodore sprawled on the moon's surface. The smell of blood, of death. That rush as he plunged the blood into him. That draining of life from his own body as he realized he'd slain his own brother, feeling as it was his life he'd taken.

"No. No. Please." Tears brimmed his eyes but the paladin refused to give into them.

"Please, Cecil, you must, I do not have much time!" A gnarled hand extended towards Excalibur then recoiled. "I cannot hold the blade." He extended his hand in a gesture at the crystal. "You must be the one to do this before he regains his hold on me."

"I can't...not again." Theodore's eyes haunted him.

"Then...die!" A wild fury flared within his father's eyes and he snatched up his staff. He came at Cecil with a speed that the younger man barely evaded, hurrying up against the wall. Instinctively the paladin grasped his sword as he retreated, rolling back in an effort to escape the vicious magical energy the Lunarian unleashed right over his shoulder as he hit the wall.

It was with that same instinct that Cecil held the blade out to protect him, impaling Klu-Ya.

"What?" the paladin cried, relinquishing the blade. His father slumped to the floor, Cecil standing above the older man this time.

"Thank you...Ce-c-il." That was the voice of a dying man, the paladin knew. He knew that, and he knew that his father had instigated this, used his son's fighting instinct to strike the killing blow. A stain grew in the young knight's son, the soul that had slain a brother and father.

Slumping down to the crystaline floor, the paladin held his father in his arms. Excalibur's light dimmed now, as if it felt shame at slaying its former wielder. In the background Cecil heard his friends entering the room, gasping in shock and horror at the sight of him embracing the Lunarian. At the tears streaking down his face towards the glass floor.

"Cecil," Rosa whispered, taking him in her arms. He felt cold, lifeless.

_Cecil..._

A shiver worked its way up the knight's spine. Did he really just hear that voice again? Didn't Zemus's spirit die when Klu-Ya's heart stopped beating? Wasn't it through his father that the voice was made manifest? How else was the villaneous Lunarian able to take any form, even astral through his mind?

...through his mind...

His mind.

_Bring me the Crystal..._

Then Cecil understood.


	4. Scene 7

Scene 7

_Bring me the Crystal..._

Letting out a soft despaired moan, the paladin shook Rosa off. The white wizardess confused the fear of the voice in his mind with him being stubborn and extended her arms around him again.

"Don't...look at me." The words sounded foreign to him. Was he already losing himself?

Kain appeared in his line of sight. "What is the matter...?" Despite saying this, the look in the dragoon's eyes betrayed what he knew. Cecil couldn't look at him, ashamed, aghast. The dragoon took this as a confirmation of his fears. "Rosa, step away from him." The dragoon's voice too, didn't sound like him at all.

What is it that Kain said just a few days ago? _It is as I feared.._

"Wait?" Rising, the white wizardess didn't move from Cecil's side, brown eyes flashing. "What is wrong?"

_Bring me the Crystal..._

Another groan slipped past the king's pale lips. He slid a hand across the cool crystal tiles. The voice intensified. Cecil surmised this was because either Zemus realized his goal was near at hand or because he no longer had to extend his influence over multiple subjects, exerting his full mental domination on Cecil alone.

How had Kain borne it? How had Goblez? His father?

It was simple. They hadn't.

Edge came over to kneel down by the Lunarian, checking his pulse. "Yeah, he definitely bit it, Rydia." He stood up, eyes peering down at Cecil curiously. "What happened here?"

The summoner came over to stand by her husband, giving the paladin a sympathetic glance and a quick sharp rebuke to Edge. It was likely she was mildly annoyed at the ninja's lack of sensitivity when confirming Klu-Ya's death.

Genuflecting by Cecil, Kain laid a hand on the paladin's shoulder. "You can fight this."

"Fight what?" Rosa's voice was one note below a scream.

_Bring me the Crystal! _Insistent, now. Urgent. Demanding. Dominating...

One hand bracing him, the other on his head, Cecil whispered, "Keep her away. I don't want her to see me like this."

Standing Kain caught the white wizardess just as she was about to drop back down to the paladin's side, dragging her back. Rosa struggled in his grip, calling out to her husband. At this point Cecil pulled himself off the floor, backing up against the wall again, hugging it as if to draw strength from cold stone. Anything to keep his hands away from the...

_...the Crystal._

"What is going on? Cecil? Kain?" Rosa broke free of the dragoon's grasp but didn't embrace Cecil this time. A glimmer of fear danced across her lovely counteance while glimpsing at her husband's visage. Had she seen it? A shadow of Zemus? Had Kain once looked like that?

Cecil covered his face with his hands. "Zemus...is here."

Out came Edge's twin blades. "Zemus? Here? Where?"

"Don't be afraid, Cecil, we can stop him," Rydia said, hands in their pre-spell glow.

"Put away your weapons." Kain came to stand next to the paladin. Somehow, someway, Cecil felt comfortable with only the dragoon by his side. Perhaps because Kain understood this whole ordeal. "Zemus has not taken physical form."

"Then where the hell is he?" Edge pratically stomped a foot.

"Me." Cecil choked the word out. "He's in me."

Edge, Rydia and Rosa all fell silent gazing at the paladin. Kain had his head down, bracing his chin with a hand. Unable to bear their stares, Cecil kept his hands upon his face. Zemus's voice drilled into his mind, like a slippery serpent gnawing on his mind until he finally broke down and surrendered his soul.

Out of the corner of his eye the paladin glanced at the huddled form of his father. The body of Goblez superimposed on that body, merging and dragging Cecil into despair. Neither could escape Zemus's psychic onslaught. Both were dead now because of him. And all for naught, since the evil Lunarian would simply claim the crystal with him...

...dead...him...Him...dead?

Excalibur was but two paces from him.

_No...bring me the Crystal!_

Perhaps seeing the wild shimmer in his eyes, Cecil couldn't take those two paces before the dragoon grabbed him.

"No, Cecil, there must be another way!" The dragoon's grip was powerful.

"There isn't! You must let me go!" the paladin nearly screamed. How much time did he have? How much longer before Zemus claimed complete control and the crystal with it? "Surely you of all people should understand!"

Rosa ran over, blocking his view of the sword. "Cecil, Kain, please tell me...I don't understand!"

"Ah, hell, Cecil's...You're joking me, right?" This was Edge who couldn't seem to figure out whether to bear his blades or drop them right there. "What are we suppose to do?" Rydia clutched at her husband, fighting back tears.

Meanwhile the paladin hadn't given up on his goal, struggling most heartily with Kain. When Rosa tried to intervene Cecil was accidently released and snatched up the sword, bringing it to his neck. He fully intended to slit his own throat but the agonized cry of his wife stayed his hand.

"I don't care what Zemus has done, or where he is! Don't do this, Cecil!" She was crying too. "I love you, I love you..."

Kain placed a comforting hand on the white wizardess's shoulder. "We'll figure out another way."

"What other way?" Cecil shook his head in despair. "My father and brother had to die. This must be something to do with our Lunarian blood. In order to keep Zemus from getting the crystal I have to..." He swallowed, fingers tightening around the sword. "What other way would keep Zemus from extending his influence over me?"

"I don't know," the white wizardess said, "...but I don't care. I need you. Our son and our friends need you. We can't lose you!"

"Tie him down?" Rydia suggested.

"Rydia, this is no time to get kinky!" came Edge's half-joking protest to which his wife smacked him.

"Something to keep you from taking the crystal to Zemus..." This was Kain now, brow furrowed.

"Lock him in a room?" Rosa said, hopefully. "Until he gives up?"

Again the paladin shook his head. "He would find some way. So long as I am conscious, he'll have the power to escape whatever prison I could be placed in. No, I must not be awake for it."

"I could cast sleep?" the summoner piped in. "But that would wear off...So would paralyze and stop..."

Over in his head Cecil recalled all the self-sacrifices that his comrades had made. He remembered Yang taking one for the team in the Tower of Babil, Cid risking his life to keep the Red Wings off his tail and the twins who made themselves stone statues in order to prevent them from being crushed as the walls of Baron caved in on them...

...stone statues...

_Bring me the Crystal!_

That was quickly getting old.

"Rydia," Cecil once again didn't recognize his own voice, it was so strained and alien. "You can still cast Break, right?"

"Um, yeah."

Excalibur clanked to the tiles and the Baronian king took a deep breath. "I need you to cast that spell on me."

Kain's eyes widened then narrowed. "That could work. He wouldn't be able to telepathically speak to you as he needs a host that's conscious at the time to carry out his bidding."

"But is this safe? Can he be brought back?" Rosa wrung her hands together. "We'll have to find and defeat Zemus, won't we?"

Seeing the desperate love and fear in her eyes, Cecil took his wife into his arms. To feel the warmth of her body and smell her fresh perfume made the paladin forget, if but for a moment, that he was a prisoner of Zemus's power. For a moment it was just the two of them, as it was their first night together in his bedroom in the Tower of Baron...

_Bring me the Crystal, now!_

Jerking to the sound, Cecil thrust Rosa back. They had to do something, now, before he lost total control. Already the paladin could feel Zemus throwing his all into mental submission and he started to grasp at his head again, pained. "We must do this, now!"

Rydia stepped forward, green eyes glassy. "Hold still. It'll be easier that way."

Cecil did his best not to move, but the negative energy of the Lunarian was like one of Cid's hammers splitting his skull. Rosa, Edge and Kain surrounded him and Rydia, their faces full of hope and fear all at the same time. The paladin himself could feel that mix of emotions churning in his soul. They would have to find and give Zemus an absolute death in order to free him of the mind-control.

What if they couldn't...they barely managed to the last time, and they had him to lead them then.

Hero. Husband. King. Leader. He would have to forgo those titles for now.

As the spell swirled around him, Cecil glanced at the four, the Heroes of the Cystal War.

It seemed that the war was reawakened.

The last sight the paladin had before his spirit flew from his body was that of the crystal, as it shed its light...and darkness...silently.


End file.
